The Massachusetts Secretary of State has denied a public records request that the Waltham News Tribune and GateHouse Media filed last month seeking details about murder suspect Jared Remy’s previous assault case.

Shawn A. Williams, the secretary of state’s supervisor of records, sided with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, which denied the newspaper’s request on Jan. 13 because the investigation into Jennifer Martel’s murder was still ongoing.

However, once the investigation is completed, the district attorney’s office must provide the requested records, subject to provisions of the state’s public records law, Williams wrote March 14 to Boston attorney Michael J. Grygiel, who is representing the News Tribune and Gatehouse Media.

The public records request, filed by the News Tribune on Jan. 8, asked Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan for a complete copy of an independent review done on her office’s recommendation to release Remy — son of Boston Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy — at his August 2013 arraignment in Waltham District Court.

In the appeal, Grygiel wrote, “Hiding behind conclusory generalities, the DA’s contention that the investigatory exemption applies here lacks any merit whatsoever. It should be rejected, and the full report should be disclosed immediately.

“Releasing the report, which concerns the reasons the DA recommended Mr. Remy’s release, will not frustrate the purpose of the CORI statute, which was enacted to protect criminal defendants rather than to give government agencies a convenient vehicle for withholding public records.”

On Aug. 13, 2013, Waltham police arrested Remy for allegedly assaulting Jennifer Martel. He was released without bail the next day on his own recognizance. However, police arrested Remy the following night after he allegedly stabbed Martel to death in their Waltham home. Remy, who has denied the allegations, is being held without bail.

Remy’s criminal record included eight charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and three assault and battery charges. In 2003, Remy was charged with assaulting and threatening to kill a previous girlfriend.

The circumstances surrounding Martel’s murder led to severe criticisms of the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office. An independent review conducted by former Secretary of Public Safety and Essex County District Attorney Kevin Burke, and Norfolk County Prosecutor Jeanmarie Carol, said last December that Middlesex District Attorney’s office mishandled the case before Martel was murdered. The review’s executive summary was released, but not the entire report.

In a statement released last month, Ryan said the information was being withheld under the state’s Criminal Offender Record Information laws that prevents law enforcement from disseminating information to the public that may prejudice a fair trial.

Page 2 of 2 - “We have disclosed the summary of the report and made ourselves and the author of the report available to take direct questions to provide the public with insight about the findings of the independent review without violating our professional obligations in this case.”